GALLIPOLIS — A Gallia County woman recently released from prison after being previously convicted of theft and attempted escape, was arraigned last week in Gallia County Common Pleas Court on meth-related charges.

Theresa L. Artz, 38, of Crown City, was released from the Dayton Correctional Institution on April 2 and appeared April 3 before Common Pleas Judge D. Dean Evans, pleading not guilty to alleged illegal manufacture of methamphetamine, the illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs and possession of drugs.

Artz was sentenced in Gallia County to the Ohio Reformatory for Women after community control in two of her previous cases was revoked by the court.

The defendant was originally charged with felony theft late in 2012 after she allegedly pushed a shopping cart “overflowing” with merchandise that she had not paid for from the Gallipolis Walmart on Nov. 17, 2012.

She was later arraigned and charged with fifth-degree felony theft and was being held on bond at the Gallia County Work Release Center in December 2012 when she reportedly escaped from the facility.

Artz was subsequently arrested in West Virginia by the Point Pleasant Police Department the morning after her escape, according to reports, and was subsequently charged for the offense.

Last April, she was sentenced in each of her cases to two years of probation after pleading guilty to theft and attempted escape.

Less than a month later, community control violations were filed in each of Artz’s cases and she was sentenced in May to 11 months in prison for theft and 17 months for attempted escape — sentences to be served concurrently.

She was further given credit for 167 days of jail time served in relation to her sentence.

A third indictment was filed against Artz in May 2013 following her alleged involving in manufacturing meth in September 2012 at her listed address on Green Road in Ohio Township.

According to the indictment, on Sept. 23, 2012, the defendant engaged in the manufacture of methamphetamine and had assembled 20 empty lithium batteries, sulfuric acid, one box of ice cream salt, and one can of Coleman fuel — items commonly used in the manufacture of the drug. Artz also was allegedly in the possession of 65.4 grams of methamphetamine on Sept. 23, 2012.

The indictment was held until Artz’s release from prison earlier this month. During her arraignment hearing last week, Artz’s bond was set at $30,000, own recognizance, with an additional bond of $1,500, 10 percent.

Defense attorney Barbara Wallen has been appointed to represent Artz. She is scheduled to appear for a pre-trial settlement conference June 27.

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